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Gift Guide for the Healthcare Professional

Need a last minute gift for the medical professional in your life? Check out my gift guide centered around the nurse, doctor, or student in your life! I’ll be honest, I own most of these products and can speak to their usefulness in my busy life at work!

The Cauliflower Craze

It’s no secret that cauliflower has been an incredibly trendy food in 2018-2019. I mean why would we need buffalo wings, pizza crust, rice or gnocchi when we have cauliflower?! Kidding. But cauliflower has proven an awesome substitution to help lower carbohydrate intake and increase fiber and nutrient intake in some dishes.

The Benefits of Cauliflower

Even though cauliflower is a white vegetable, which is often associated with high starch content and lower nutrient value it’s actually got some great things going for it! In fact it has quite a bit of Vitamin C, as well as Vitamin K, B6 and Folate! And because it is on the more fibrous/starchy side like a potato it can hold up almost like a flour or grain in cooking.

Cauliflower is also a good source of antioxidants. Usually we think of berries, coffee, chocolate and leafy greens which are super high in antioxidants, but cauliflower still has a recognizable amount, especially the colored varieties.

I love strolling through the grocery store and seeing interesting looking vegetables like purple, orange and green cauliflower (aka broccoflower – yes it’s actually called that). These naturally colored varieties do have slightly higher antioxidant content but not enough that it makes a huge difference. Don’t feel like you need to go breaking the bank or scouring grocery stores just to get the purple variety – unless it’s for some pretty food dish you’re making. Purple cauliflower hummus anyone?

What you can do with cauliflower?

Speaking of cauliflower dishes let’s talk about all the neat ways you can incorporate this neutral, slightly nutty flavored vegetable into your routine.

Pizza Crust – Have you tried a cauliflower pizza crust yet? They are definitely hit and miss. Don’t be fooled by the crusts that are 90% flour and 10% cauliflower, they will definitely taste more traditional but you aren’t getting the low carb, zero gluten deal you might be looking for! Make sure to take a peek at the ingredients before you pick up one of these or go crazy and make your own.

Cauliflower Rice – This is definitely one of my go-tos! I have to admit I buy the Trader Joe’s pre-made stir fry with cauliflower and other minced vegetables plus a soya-ginger sauce BUT it could very easily be replicated at home!

Mashed Potatoes – I’d say this version is most popular in Keto and Paleo diets. It’s a low carb alternative and something that you can totally cover in cheese or butter if you’re keto.

Crackers – I’ll leave the cauliflower cracker making up to the guys at Hippie Snacks and Cali’Flour Foods because it really is an art. Make sure if you’re looking for a gluten free option you don’t assume there’s no flour in it just because they say cauliflower.

Cauliflower Steak – These are probably the easiest to make at home and so fun to flavor! You basically slice the cauliflower into huge slabs and roast in the oven or chuck on the barbie and sprinkle with a steak spice or seasoning of your choice!

Making Your Own Cauliflower Alternatives

If you’re making these yummy dishes at home it’s almost always going to start with a food processor or blender. In some cases the cauliflower needs to be cooked before like in mashed cauliflower and sometimes you cook after processing like in the case of rice. I’d go visit your trusty Pinterest app and find a recipe that looks good!

When buying the products pre-made beware of additives or fillers. Cauliflower alternatives can be a great option for many diet goals such as adding more vegetables, eating more fiber, or even weight loss but you have to make sure you’re doing it right!

My Favorite Pre-Made Cauliflower Meals

I love keeping some cauliflower alternatives on hand for a quick last minute meal. I know when I’m reaching in to the freezer I’m not going to come out with something that’s more similar to fast food than a real meal. Instead I’m picking something I can make quickly but still feel good about!

Trader Joe’s Must Haves include:

Cauliflower gnocchi– I like to make this with a teeny tiny bit of olive oil, seasoned with garlic and pepper as a side dish

Cauliflower pizza crust- this one may require some experimentation on how you like it cooked, to avoid sogginess. Chris and I like to bake these with toppings as directed on the box, but for 15 extra minutes. This has given us the best results

Building the registry of your dreams

Who doesn’t want to pick out a bunch of fun, new things that others will buy for you?! Not to mention you get to carry around that awesome scanner. It’s what I consider one of the most fun things surrounding a wedding. The registry!!

My biggest piece of advice, is to go all out! You may not get everything on your list, and that’s ok, but after the wedding you will get great deals on those products you added to your registry. Most stores offer these deals, for up to a year!

Pick 1-3 of the most desirable stores (this can include online registries) in your mind, and take a day with your beloved to go in-person (or shop from the couch) and discuss how you want to decorate and supply your home!

Zola was easy, they have TONS of products to choose from, AND you can set up cash funds for various things that you want (i.e. honeymoon, yoga classes, dining out, airfare). This allows your guests to feel like they are actually a part of a gift, even though they are gifting cash. You can even write in what you plan to do with the funds. For example, under honeymoon fund, you can detail this with where you are going, what you plan to do, etc. When someone sends you a gift, you get an email and you can choose to release the gift, or return for store credit, before it even gets to your home!

Williams Sonoma was Chris’ choice. He loves the vibe in that store! We chose our pots and pans, knives, and baking utensils for this registry. You can try out the products in store, and even sample some of the food that you cook with the products! They have a ton of registry store events, so you can really take advantage of what they’re offering.

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Bloomingdale’s was my choice, because they have a huge selection AND the service there is impeccable. Bloomingdales has it’s own section of the store for The Registry. They have events for couples to attend and learn about the newest and greatest products. They also provide champagne, and water for the most luxurious registry experience. Chris had a great time walking around with the scanner. He pretty much scanned everything he could… and then weeks later forgot that he scanned said things, acting confused when we got them in the mail.

We had a bit of an incident in Bloomingdale’s because of Chris’ excitement for a chip and dip set. He flipped it over, assuming the glass bowl in the center was attached to the rest of the tray. It wasn’t. It shattered on the floor and I swear you could hear a pin drop it became so quiet. They assured us that it would be cleaned up as we apologized repeatedly. As I started walking in my open toe heels, I realized that my toe was painful and as I looked down I noticed it was bleeding. I had no tissues or kleenexes (because of course I had switched to my smaller purse that morning), and proceeded to bleed on the Bloomingdale’s floor as I walked. How embarrassing!!

Chris and I were mortified and fully expected to pay for the item. The Bloomingdale’s staff simply said “it happens”, cleaned up the mess, provided alcohol swabs/bandaids, and sent us out with a parting gift! I received a follow up phone call and email from the staff asking if I was healing ok. It really was the tiniest of injuries and stopped bleeding pretty quickly after it started. We definitely laughed about it all night. Chris is still to blame for this one!

I found most of the things I wanted at Bloomingdales. They have such a vast array of choices and beautiful pieces, for many different price ranges. I wanted to add items to our registry that I wouldn’t buy for myself, so for me, that included a lot of entertaining items, for all those future dinner parties and holiday hosting!

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I never used to appreciate the presentation of food, and having all the right glassware, until I graduated from residency and enjoyed having an adult-like set up. Plastic dish ware be gone! The pieces below are all part of our registry, and I can’t wait to arrange and present them at future family holidays!

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Don’t forget about all the cozy home items and practical products that you’ve always wanted! That includes sheets, towels, and any fancy electronics you can think of, to make your home, a home. If you’re a traveler, don’t forget about luggage!

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Last but not least ladies… don’t forget the all coveted KitchenAid Standing Mixer!!! And all its attachments… there are MANY. And trust me, I could justify all of them, but I stuck to these below.

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The best part, is when the boxes start to arrive! Minus all the box breaking to fit them in our small trash can! Engaged ladies out there- make sure your registry is completed before your bridal shower! Many of the gifts you receive from your registry will be during that time.

This Friday… is Black (cue the holiday tunes)

WHO IS EXCITED???!!!!

This girl sure is! I am pretty much obsessed with shopping. I may not be a fashion blogger, but I LOVE sharing my outfits and style with you guys! When I was in school for a billion years, I wasn’t able to buy anything nice, or expensive. Only recently have I upped the ante with my shopping excursions and man it feels good!!

This is the first year (legit, since before I started college), that I feel prepared and ahead of the game! Now that I am done with training, I have a little more free time on my hands and I have definitely used it to make sure my holiday shopping and events are planned, sans stress!

I know some of you out there are maybe not as hyped, just yet, for the holidays. Maybe you’re busy slaving away at work or studying for those exams! Either way, we have the internet now and let’s be honest… online shopping can be just as fun AND you can do it in your PJs (who doesn’t want that?)!

You can scout and shop some of my gift ideas here, and if you score something you love for yourself or as a gift, I want to see it!

Gift ideas for Her

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Gift ideas for Him

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Gifts for that Student in your life

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Gifts for the Host

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Holiday Party Attire

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All things Beauty Wishlist

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Holiday Decor Wishlist

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Luxe Holiday Gift List

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Here are some of my favorite sales happening NOW!

Bloomingdales- $25 for every $200 on brown bag items, gift with any $50 beauty purchase

Crate and Barrel – 15% off full price with SAVE15

Express- 50% off EVERYTHING and free shipping

J Crew- 40% off and free shipping with code THANKU

Nordstrom- up to 40% off designer

Pottery Barn- 30-50% off, free shipping with FREESHIP

Splendid- PJs 30% off

Target- Free shipping/returns through 12/23

West Elm- Use code SAVEMORE for multiple offers depending on amount spent

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Dr. Majestic

I invite you to take a glimpse into my crazy, beautiful life in medicine and allow me to teach you my health, wellness, and lifestyle tips along the way.